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Plowing ahead in wartime
In 1948, when Israel was born, resources were scarce. Water was rationed, and food stamps were a necessity for meals. In a gesture of hospitality to honor a visiting dignitary, an Arab chieftain from the Negev once offered the eye of a sheep to his guest, symbolizing the unique cultural exchanges of the time.
Fast forward to the present, and life in Israel continues to reflect resilience and adaptation. A family from Jerusalem recently shared their harrowing experiences with relatives abroad, who in turn recounted their story to me, capturing the ongoing tension and challenges faced by many in the region.
“We frequently rush from our homes to seek refuge from the bombs that relentlessly fall around us,” they explained. “This happens multiple times in a single night, often as many as eight times, regardless of the hour.”
Safe rooms have become a critical feature in Israeli homes, designed to withstand the impact of these attacks. Constructed with thick concrete walls, they are fortified with steel shutters and reinforced windows. These secure spaces are now standard in all new buildings, while older structures have been retrofitted to meet safety standards.
Inside these safe havens, families find essential supplies like food and water, along with beds and chairs to endure stays that can last from two hours to an entire night. Homes equipped with such rooms also provide toys, books, and other comforts to help children and adults alike cope with the stressful circumstances.
“Steel windows. Concrete walls. Even if you don’t know of direct hits, you can hear shrapnel. Actually see a nearby bridge collapse.
“When a missile is incoming, the government knows. There’s a phone alert. Sirens go off. You immediately go again . . . yet again . . . to your safe room or shelter. Eventually comes the all-clear.
“Last time it was 30 yards from our holy mosque, the third holiest site in Israel.
“And it’s not too many flights into or out of Israel. Was 12, now, maybe three. Leaving Israel they can carry only 50 people onboard.
“Somehow we will all get through. We’ll move on. No choice. It is all we can do.”
As one Israeli put it: “Listen, in California, on a good night, 20 people get killed.”
Shen Yun’s stuff of legend
One bright light in NYC? Shen Yun. The famous dancers, a sort of Chinese version of the Radio City Rockettes, annually present their 5,000 years of artistry and culture at the David H. Koch Theater.
No single stumble, zero missteps, this glorious production is there until April 12.
The theater was mobbed! Everyone: Go see Shen Yun.
1949, this heritage was threatened when the Communist Party came to power. Politics aside, in the huge David Koch Theater, every seat was taken. What you can do with the Chinese Communists, I don’t know. What you can do about this glorious night in the theater, I also know. Go see it.
Diplo’s farewell
Meanwhile, NYC lost another bright light. David Cornstein. Born here. Homes: Park Avenue and the Hamptons. Businessman, politician, our ambassador to Hungary. David helped everyone. He leaves Sheila, his beautiful wife of a lifetime who always wins at cards, and sports agent son Marc and his wife, Natasha. When he was in Budapest, David invited me. He was known and loved in every restaurant this side of Madagascar.
And I’ve written it this way thinking it might make him smile.
What’s left of NYC’s major donors before they move out? The Realtor gave one charity $1,000. Another proclaimed: “Oh, please, I’ll give $5,000.” The third, a manufacturer who’d lived on Park Avenue, shouted: “Before I move to Florida (where wellness signs even hang in funeral homes), I’ll give $10,000.” Another who’d pledged $5,000 then got up and cried: “I now give $500 more for something I hold dear to my heart: the $10,000 I just gave you.”
Only in Zero Crapdammy’s New York, kids, only in Zero Crapdammy’s New York.